US5376107A — Electrotherapeutic device

Claim 1

Independent Claim 161 words

An electrotherapeutic device for passing an electric current through a living organism in order to drive a drug into the organism, comprising: a battery, comprising means for providing a high internal resistance, said means for providing comprising a high electrical resistance solid electrolyte, said battery further comprising a first electrode and a second electrode which electrically connect to opposite sides of the solid electrolyte; a first contact pad connected to said first electrode, said first contact pad having a first surface for contact to said organism, said first surface having a first surface area, said first contact pad including means for holding a drug, wherein operation of the electrotherapeutic device administers the drug to the organism, a second contact pad connected to the second electrode, and wherein said high internal resistance is substantially provided by said solid electrolyte and said means for providing limits the average current density at said first contact pad to less than 0.5 mA per square centimeter.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 161 words

An electrotherapeutic device for passing an electric current through a living organism in order to drive a drug into the organism, comprising: a battery, comprising means for providing a high internal resistance, said means for providing comprising a high electrical resistance solid electrolyte, said battery further comprising a first electrode and a second electrode which electrically connect to opposite sides of the solid electrolyte; a first contact pad connected to said first electrode, said first contact pad having a first surface for contact to said organism, said first surface having a first surface area, said first contact pad including means for holding a drug, wherein operation of the electrotherapeutic device administers the drug to the organism, a second contact pad connected to the second electrode, and wherein said high internal resistance is substantially provided by said solid electrolyte and said means for providing limits the average current density at said first contact pad to less than 0.5 mA per square centimeter.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

A device according to claim 2, wherein said solid electrolyte has a conductivity of less than 10 -5 S per cm.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 53 words

A device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode has first and second major surfaces and said solid electrolyte opposes the first major surface of said first electrode and the resistance per unit surface area of the second major surface of said first electrode is greater than 100 ohms per square centimeter.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

A device according to claim 1, wherein said average current density is limited to less than 0.125 mA per cm 2 .

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 65 words

A device according to claim 1, wherein a relationship exists between a voltage V provided by said battery, a resistance R of said solid electrolyte between said first electrode and said second electrode, a current density J at said first electrode and an area A of said first electrode of the form: V≦(J×A)×R wherein J is equal to or less than 0.125 ma/cm 2 .

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 23 words

A device according to claim 1, wherein: the battery electrodes comprise a member of the group consisting of manganese dioxide, lithium, and carbon.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

A device according to claim 1, wherein: said first contact pad comprises an acrylic resin impregnated with a pharmaceutical drug.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 27 words

A device according to claim 1, wherein said battery has a voltage between 1 and 12 volts and a total current of between 0.05 and 25 mA.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 30 words

An electrotherapeutic device according to claim 1, wherein the solid electrolyte comprises a material that is selected from a member of the group consisting of organic high polymers and inorganics.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 195 words

An electrotherapeutic device for passing an electric current through a living organism even when the electrical resistance of the living organism fluctuates, comprising: a first contact pad; a second contact pad; a battery, said battery comprising means for providing a high internal electrical resistance comprising a solid electrolyte, wherein said high internal electrical resistance is substantially provided by said solid electrolyte, a first electrode that is connected to the first contact pad, a second electrode that is connected to the second contact pad, wherein the first and second electrodes oppose one another across said solid electrolyte; wherein said first contact pad has a first surface for contact to said organism, said organism has a resistance to flow of current between the first contact pad and the second contact pad, and said first surface has a first surface area, said internal resistance of the battery is substantially greater than the resistance of the living organism, and said means for providing limits variations in current provided by the battery to said first contact pad, and limits the average current density provided by the battery at said first contact pad to less than 0.5 mA per square centimeter.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 195 words

An electrotherapeutic device for passing an electric current through a living organism even when the electrical resistance of the living organism fluctuates, comprising: a first contact pad; a second contact pad; a battery, said battery comprising means for providing a high internal electrical resistance comprising a solid electrolyte, wherein said high internal electrical resistance is substantially provided by said solid electrolyte, a first electrode that is connected to the first contact pad, a second electrode that is connected to the second contact pad, wherein the first and second electrodes oppose one another across said solid electrolyte; wherein said first contact pad has a first surface for contact to said organism, said organism has a resistance to flow of current between the first contact pad and the second contact pad, and said first surface has a first surface area, said internal resistance of the battery is substantially greater than the resistance of the living organism, and said means for providing limits variations in current provided by the battery to said first contact pad, and limits the average current density provided by the battery at said first contact pad to less than 0.5 mA per square centimeter.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

A device according to claim 15 wherein said solid electrolyte comprises a member selected from the group consisting of polyether polymers, polyester polymers, and polyamine polymers.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 12 words

A device according to claim 10, wherein said solid electrolyte comprises lithium.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-12-26	1998-06-27	1998-12-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-12-26	2002-06-27	2002-12-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-12-26	2006-06-27	2006-12-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electrotherapeutic device

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